CREWE'S schedule has been hit by a second cancellation this week with Shrewsbury calling off Saturday's League One clash.

Salop report that two of their players have tested positive for coronavirus and the Shropshire club informed the EFL they were unable to fulfil the fixture at the Montgomery Waters Meadow.

The Alex's trip to Rochdale on Tuesday was one of two games Dale have been forced to postpone because of Covid-19 issues as the impact of the virus is being particularly hardfelt in League One where only five of the planned 12 fixtures went ahead two days ago.

West Brom boss Sam Allardyce has called for football to be paused after the numbers of Premier Division players returning positive coronavirus results reached its highest this week at 18.

But speaking before the Rochdale cancellation Crewe boss Dave Artell says he would be surprised if there was a break in action and cites the positive effects on mental health and wellbeing of elite football carrying on, even behind closed doors.

"We've played under tier four lockdowns early on and I can't for believe for one minute that football will stop. It is good for the mental wellbeing of the general public," said Artell.

"It helps with mental health and wellbeing getting out and walking to the game and that kind of thing. The lockdowns have been going on for a long time now and you sometimes forget people who live in one bedroom flats with no outside space - they can't leave their homes and that is really tough.

"Whether attending a football match or going for a walk in the park can only help."

Crewe are not scheduled to play again until Saturday, January 16 and there is a likelihood that fixture congestion lies ahead with the virus on the rise and most areas of England now under tier three and four restrictions.

Accrington boss John Coleman has called for the season to be extended beyond its current finale on May 8 with his side still to play 30 league games.

Shrewsbury instructed a player to self isolate after a positive test earlier in the week, although their home game with Blackpool went ahead on Tuesday night. Now the news of a second positive test will leave Crewe without a game for 21 days.

The EFL plans to conduct Covid-19 tests with all 72 of its clubs from next Monday.

Artell hopes the vaccines, including the new Oxford/Astra Zeneca vaccine, can be rolled out into football provided all vulnerable people and key workers are vaccinated first.

"I don't think it would be looked on favourably politically if a bunch of footballers got the vaccine before care home workers," said the manager. "But in another six weeks or more time when the care home workers are done can 5,000 footballers be done around the country quite quickly?"